


No Walk in the Park

by K_K_TiBal



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bones the Dog - Freeform, College AU, Dean POV, First Dates, First Meetings, M/M, Miscommunication, dean has an unnecessary crisis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-29
Updated: 2018-05-29
Packaged: 2019-05-15 18:15:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14795495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/K_K_TiBal/pseuds/K_K_TiBal
Summary: All Dean wanted to do was take his brother's annoyingly energetic dog to the dog park, but he supposed that meeting a handsome stranger there was an okay bonus.





	No Walk in the Park

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PurgatoryJar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PurgatoryJar/gifts).



> Happy birthday Elena!!! This one's for you :)

When Sam had asked Dean to watch his dog while he and Eileen went on vacation, Dean hadn't realized just how much of a spoiled hellion Sam had turned the dog into.

“Bones, _no.”_ Dean dug his heels into the ground and tugged on the leash as the extremely energetic mutt attempted to choke himself on his collar. “Calm your tits, you _maniac_.”

Dean nodded at an older woman as she gave him an odd look.

“Morning, ma’am.” Dean tried his best to look casual while a large ball of fur tried to drag him down the pathway. “Bones, heel!”

There was no stopping Bones, however. As far as Dean could tell, any moment that Bones wasn't spending sniffing something, pissing on something, or running towards something interesting, was a moment wasted in the life of the dog. Hopefully, this trip would be worth it.

Dean had found a dog park nearby and was determined to let Bones run free until he tired himself out, and prayed that he might finally be able to relax without having a wound-up canine whining at him every few seconds.

“Alright, here we are.” Dean strained against the constant tugging and sighed with relief when he saw the gate that led to the large fenced area. “You'll be free in like a minute. Just chill, dude.”

‘Chill’ did not exist in this dog’s vocabulary.

Bones’ tail was wagging so furiously that Dean thought it might break off as he stared into the fenced area at the other dogs running wild, while their owners either chatted to the side or were throwing frisbees. There were small groups of children gathered around the fence, pointing and laughing in delight at the dogs, and jumping in excitement whenever one approached them.

Once Dean had passed the gate and managed to lure Bones in close enough to reach his collar, he released him from the dreaded bonds of the leash and watched him bolt in the direction of the small pond.

If that dog got him wet, he was gonna -

“What kind of dog was that?”

Dean glanced behind him and saw a dark-haired man, probably in his early twenties and wearing a loose-fitting t-shirt, staring past him at Bones from behind the fence.

“Uh,” Dean swallowed as he stared back, wishing that the fence - as largely transparent as it was - was gone, just so he could see more of the guy, though honestly his blue eyes were striking enough to have Dean staring at them alone. “He's a golden retriever. Mostly, at least. I don't know what the other parts are; he's a shelter dog.”

“Oh, that's wonderful.” Blue-eyes said said, and his smile made him even more attractive, if possible. “I'd like to get a shelter dog one day.”

Dean cleared his throat and casually meandered a few steps closer towards the fence.

“Well, before you start thinking I'm a saint, he's my brother’s dog, not mine,” Dean admitted, running a hand through his hair awkwardly. “I'm just watching him for a couple weeks while he's out of town.”

Blue-eyes cocked his head to the side.

“Well, that seems pretty saintly to me - considering the temperament of the dog,” Blue-eyes mused, and linked his fingers through the fence opening. “But that does explain why I haven't seen you here before.”

Dean raised an eyebrow.

Was this flirting? Maybe? Honestly, it could fall either way, but the guy was cute enough that Dean was willing to risk it to find out.

“Yeah? You come here often?” he asked, ignoring how cringeworthy the pickup line was.

“Most days, yes,” Blue-eyes stared past Dean and tilted his head to the side. “I think your dog is doing inappropriate things to that man's leg.”

Dean whirled around in time to see that Blue-eyes was tragically correct.

“Son of a _bitch,”_ Dean took off in the direction of his stupid dog, hoping to reach him before irreparable damage was done. “Bones!”

Dean finally separated Bones after profusely apologizing to the the victim, and quickly snapping the leash back onto Bones to drag him away from any repeat offenses.

By the time he made it back to the fence, Blue-eyes was gone.

“Ah, man,” Dean said, sitting down on the grass with a disappointed sigh. “I thought dogs were supposed help people get dates, not lose them.”

Dean glared down at Bones, who started licking his hand like he’d done nothing wrong.

***

It was hard to decide if Dean or Bones was more excited for the walk in the park the next day, but Dean decided that since Bones was excited for just about everything, Dean won this contest.

They approached the dog park with Bones in the lead, and Dean scanned the park for any signs of the handsome blue-eyed man who said he came to the park most days.

Bones whined as Dean tried to slow their approach, apparently unable to accept anything less than a full sprint forward.

“Slow down, dude,” Dean muttered, though he knew reasoning with Bones was futile. He wasn't sure what Sam had been feeding him, but it sure seemed like it was fifty percent sugar, and fifty percent caffeine.

They finally made into the dog park for the second time ever, and after snapping a picture to send to Sam - proving that he hadn't yet killed his pet - he let Bones loose. Dean sighed in satisfaction as he watched Bones immediately make a friend with a border collie on the side of the park nearest to the playground.

He squinted, his eyes being drawn towards a bench just on the other side of the fence that separated the playground from the dog park.

There was a younger man sitting on the bench, a book in his lap as the wind ruffled his hair - and he looked suspiciously like Blue-eyes from the day before.

Immediately, Dean felt his heart beat a little faster at the recognition, and he chastised himself for caring too much - even as he pulled out his phone to check his reflection before jogging after Bones.  

“Oh, hey,” Dean waved as he got closer, like he'd only just noticed him sitting there. “Back again, I see?”

He winced internally. Why couldn't he ever think up anything clever to say in time?

Blue-eyes glanced up from his book, smiling as Dean got closer and putting a bookmark in the pages.

“It would seem so.” Blue-eyes turned to look at the children’s playground before walking towards the fence, book in hand. “How's the dog today? Behaving any better?”

“Uh,” Dean briefly peeked behind him to see Bones trip over a tree stump as he chased a bird. “You know. He's about the same.”

Blue-eyes chuckled, and gripped the fence with his free hand.

“What's his name, again?

“Bones. Real original, I know.” Dean sighed. “Like a naming a human Hamburger.”

Blue-eyes nodded with a smile.

“And what's yours?” he asked.

Dean found himself a little too preoccupied with staring into the two bright blue reasons he'd given the guy his nickname, to be able to answer at full brain capacity.

“My what?”

“Your _name.”_

 _“_ Oh -” Dean cleared his throat and flushed. “I'm Dean. What's yours?”

“Castiel,” Blue-eyes said with a shrug. “It's odd, I know.”

“Castiel,” Dean repeated, already adoring the way it felt on his tongue. “I think it's beautiful.”

It was Castiel's turn to blush, his eyes widening a little at the compliment, and he glanced down at his shoes before smiling back at Dean again.

“Well… thank you.”

Dean paused, hoping that the sparks he felt between the two of them were mutual. Castiel was funny, nice, and one of the prettier people Dean had ever seen if he was being honest. He'd be crazy to not at least try to get to know him better.

“Hey, feel free to tell me to back off if this is out of left field for you, but do you want to go get coffee later?” Dean asked, leaning into the fence and praying to whoever was listening that he hadn't been misinterpreting Castiel’s interest in him.

It was possible, of course. They'd only met twice.

Castiel tilted his head to the side as his smile widened.

“I'd like that, Dean.”

Dean nearly sighed with relief.

“Great!” He ran a hand through his hair to relieve some nervous tension. “Um, how about the Starbucks just down street?”

“Sounds perfect.” Castiel glanced behind him towards the playground and let out a breath. “I can meet you there around six? I have to drop the kids off at dance, and then I should be free.”

Dean paused, his eyebrows knitting together.

Kids?

“Well - see you at six, then!”

Castiel waved as he walked away towards the playground, and Dean watched a similarly dark-haired boy and girl run up to him as he approached and start tugging on his hands with wide smiles on their faces.

Eventually, Castiel reached for the younger boy and hoisted him to sit around his waist as he ushered them back towards the parking lot.

Kids.

Dean stood with one hand on the fence, staring towards the playground, the sounds of screaming infants echoing in his brain as the other shoe dropped.

***

Dean went into crisis mode.

On the one hand, attractive man who was interested in him, too.

On the other hand… children.

It wasn't that Dean hated kids, not in the slightest, but kids definitely weren't in the equation when he'd asked Castiel out on the date. Kids were a whole other handful that single parents always seemed to wait to tell the person they were dating about until a few dates in.

At least, that's what the movies seemed to portray?

Honestly, Dean didn't have a lot to work with, here; he'd never dated anyone with kids before and had never even considered the possibility that one day he might. He wasn't a jerk and didn't want to be one of _those_ assholes who had that as a deal breaker, but at the same time, he was only twenty-three! He was in no way, shape, or form ready to be a parent to a tween.

Dean smacked himself on the forehead as he walked Bones back to the apartment.

Why the _hell_ was he thinking about parenting already? He’d asked Castiel out, not proposed marriage to him. He'd only just met the guy and as twitterpated as he obviously was, this was just one date. He needed to get a grip and think about this logically.

Chances were, this was going to go nowhere. It was just a chance meeting in a park based on a first impression. There was zero commitment, here.

But was he thinking that just because he _wanted_ an out now?

Was he really that asshole who excluded single parents from his dating pool?

Dean opened the door to his apartment and let Bones off the leash, flopping down onto his living room couch - and he immediately had one hundred pounds of fur jump on his chest. He huffed, eventually giving up on his attempts to shove Bones onto the floor and instead, buried his face in the dog’s chest as he scratched him.

No.

He didn’t want to be that guy. This was something he should figure out right now, regardless of whether or not he and Castiel worked out.

Kids were fine. He liked kids well enough.

If the person that he was meant to be with happened to have children, then so be it.

Dean nodded to himself, pleased with himself for coming to that decision after only forty-five minutes of panicking.

He glanced at the time and let out a long breath as he scratched Bones behind the ears.

This date was going to be treated just like any other. Dean smiled, remembering the way that Castiel’s face had lit up when Dean had asked him out.

And then Bones licked his face, and Dean stopped smiling.

***

“Dean!”

Dean turned towards the sound of the familiar voice as he entered the Starbucks, and saw Castiel waving at him from a small table that he'd claimed for the two of them.

“Hey,” Dean grinned as he sat down. “How's it going?”

“Not bad,” Castiel said, adjusting the shirt he'd apparently changed into for their date. “It's - uh, it's been a while since I've been on a… date, so I'm a bit nervous if I'm being honest.”

Castiel swallowed as he studied Dean’s face, chewing on his lower lip.

“This _is_ a date, right?” Castiel asked in a hesitant voice.

“Oh, no, yes.” Dean nodded enthusiastically, feeling his heart melt a little more at Castiel’s admission. “Definitely.”

Castiel breathed a sigh of relief and Dean instantly felt guilty about considering not giving him a fair chance. He obviously didn't get to do this a lot anyway, because of assholes like the guy he himself had nearly been.

“So, uh,” Dean cleared his throat, trying to approach the subject as casually as possible. “How was dropping the kids off at dance class?”

Castiel let out a long breath.

“More or less the same. They have a recital coming up that I hope I can make it to.” Castiel drummed his fingers against the table as he spoke. “But life doesn't always let me.”

“That's totally understandable,” Dean said with a sympathetic nod. “You probably work a lot.”

Castiel hummed in agreement.

“It's worth it, though. I've got to get through school somehow,” Castiel said, and smiled weakly. “Just a few more years.”

“You go to school, too?” Dean whistled and shook his head. “Major kudos to you, dude.”

“I mean… lots of people do it,” Castiel said with a shrug. “Though I'd like to be a pilot one day, so it's quite a commitment for both money and time.”

“A pilot?” Dean raised his eyebrows. This guy was a fucking _rock star. “_ That's awesome. What made you want to do that?”

Dean could see the moment his question registered to Castiel, as a warm look crossed his face.

“I've wanted to touch the sky for as long as I can remember.” Castiel propped his chin on his closed fist as he gazed out the window and up at the clouds. “I guess I just like it up there.”

Dean let his eyes roam over the faraway look Castiel had and fell a little bit more in love. He was adorable. He had dreams and ambitions and his reasoning was the most endearing thing he'd ever heard.

Yeah, this was hopefully gonna be more than one date, kids or no kids.

Eventually, the two of them actually ordered some coffee to sip at while they talked, mostly about school, and a lot about Bones, despite Dean’s insistence that he wasn't that interesting of a dog.

Dean talked about himself as well, his likes and dislikes, his job as a mechanic and his aspirations for something more, but he found that he was more than content to sit and listen to Castiel talk about the sky for as long as he was willing to go for.

“Can I have your number?” Dean blurted, interrupting Castiel in the middle of a sentence and Castiel raised his eyebrows at he looked back towards him. “Sorry, I just… like you a lot.”

Castiel’s face turned bright red as he turned his smile down at his lap.

“Yes, if I can have yours.”

Dean pulled out his phone and slid it across the table.

“Sounds like a deal to me.”

Dean licked his lips as Castiel picked up the phone. He must have so many worries and insecurities about dating as a single parent, and here he was, facing all of that like the fearless person he was.

“And um, just so you know, the kids don't bother me,” Dean said after clearing his throat to sound more confident. “Like, at all. I like kids.”

Castiel looked up from his typing and raised an eyebrow.

“Okay. That's good to know, I guess.”

“I mean, it would new territory for me, for _sure_ ,” Dean said, running a hand through his hair. “But I just want to make it clear that they're not going to be an issue.”

Castiel frowned as he stared back at him.

“Why would they be an issue?”

“Exactly! They wouldn't!” Dean clasped his hands in front of himself. “I just know that being a single parent can be super hard. So I just wanted you to know that I'm good on that. Not that you need me to approve or anything, but like, going forward...”

Castiel opened his mouth, then closed it again as he slowly set down Dean’s phone.

Was he overwhelmed with emotion? Dean didn't think it was _that_ big of a statement, but if it made him feel better, then it was definitely worth it.

“Oh, Dean. That is _so_ sweet of you to say. Really, it's very touching.” Castiel reached out and rested one hand on top of Dean's, smiling at him in a way that Dean almost thought was pity. “But I'm a _nanny_.”

Dean stared back, glancing down at where Castiel was touching him and then back up to the amused smile that was now playing on his lips.

“You're a -” Dean started, trying to get his brain to catch up with the conversation.

Castiel nodded slowly.

“So… the kids…”

“Aren't mine,” Castiel finished. “I watch them for eight hours every day and then I go to school most evenings.”

Dean dropped his head onto his hands - which also happened to be on Castiel's - and groaned as his face burned in embarrassment. All this time he thought that - why hadn't he just thought - he should have _known_ he was a nanny. They were around the same age!

“I'm an idiot,” Dean muttered.

“A very cute idiot, though.”

Dean brought his head back up when he felt a gentle pat on the side of his face.

“It's okay, Dean. That was a very noble display and it puts you even more into my good graces,” Castiel said, and tapped Dean’s phone a few more times before placing it back into Dean's hand. “Here's my number. We should do this again sometime, now that you know you don't have to commit to three of us.”

Dean groaned and threw his head back, still unable to deal with his own stupidity.

Castiel stood and laughed, patting Dean’s hand.

“Goodbye, Dean. I have to go pick up the kids. But don't be so embarrassed that you won't call me.”

Dean sighed and gave him a thumbs up while he still struggled for words, watching him walk out the door and into his life forever.

After that, Dean called Castiel a single father for years. After a while, it started confusing everyone they met, who could clearly see the wedding band on his finger.

  
  
  



End file.
